A Wilted Rose
by Sevven
Summary: The effects of a love gone wrong. What was once so beautiful, has now become like a wilted rose....
1. Chapter 1

There was once a girl named Hermione Granger. Hermione was the model of a perfect girl. Squeaky clean reputation, great intelligence, only socialised with "good" people. She was one who you would say, "had her head screwed on right." Hermione Granger would never dream that some day, a man would come along and shatter her perfect life.

* * *

My Love.

I found you. Something positive lying beneath all the negatives that seem to come first in this world. I found a person I could become lost in. Someone always on my mind for all the wrong reasons. Or are they the right reasons? The lines blur together. I smile when you smile. I frown when you frown. Finding you was just the beginning of the end. The penultimate chapter. An entrance to the final exit.

How do you understand something with no guides? Love is a game, and there is never a shortage of players. But how do you win a game when the rules are constantly changing? The end result of our endeavour was meant to be happiness, joy, exhilaration. It turned out to be the opposite - another lesson learned. It this because with love, there's always hate? With pleasure, there's always pain? I thought I found a real chance, only to be taught I shouldn't hope for anything.

There is a picture of us. I am smiling, yet it is obvious to anyone who looks that that joy, that happiness, does not reach my eyes. The memories stored in this picture are not happy ones for me. I do not want to smile, for I understand the darkness the future holds. Yet I smile. I smile for the hope, for the slim chance that you will want to keep me. That day, when the camera went away, my smile went with it. I was forced to turn away, to hide my face so you couldn't see me.

Is that why? Is it because you realised I was damaged, that there was something wrong with me? I was not whole. I was not the best chance you had for happiness.

I look into your eyes and you just stare. You don't see me. I am merely there, an empty shell of a girl. I couldn't matter any less to you. I'm here, laying out my soul for you, and you don't notice. I look into your eyes and try to see some emotion, some reaction. Your eyes are blank; expressionless. As if staring at a tree, a rock, some other inanimate object. This is what I am to you. When I look to the side, I see nothing but a shadow, without emotion, without a soul; something cold and unseen. It isn't hard to believe that's become a part of me.

And so, this is it. This is the moment where I, having realised you don't and never will want me, will take the necessary step towards being happy. I long to be free of this pain, and tonight I will be. This is it. This is the end.

You'll wonder, was it my fault? Yes. It was your fault. You cannot blame anyone but yourself for this mess. I am responsible too, to an extent. However, you were the adult, the mature and wise one. It was up to you to put on the brakes before it went too far and the damage became irreversible.

Perhaps you'll even be angry at me. Blame me. Slander my name. Go ahead. It's not as if you haven't already taken everything I cared about. You might as well take my reputation too. While you're at it, why not carve out my heart and bury it in the earth? It's yours anyway. It's always been yours.

* * *

Hermione puts her quill down. She carefully, meticulously folds the parchment, addresses it. The tawny owl perched beside her offers it's leg. The minute the letter is attached, the owl flies out the window and disappears into the night. Hermione checks the curtains around her bed are closed, lies back and holds her wand to her head.

There is a flash of bright green light in the seventh year girl's dorm of Gryffindor Tower.

In the dungeons, a single long-stemmed rose wilts suddenly, immediately. Severus Snape drops a piece of parchment onto the stone floor. By the time it hits the ground, he is out the door. He knows what she is doing. He knows he will be too late. Still, he races with a single minded determination to get to her. One thought runs through his mind, threatening to destruct his fragile mind.

It is his fault.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing but this plotline.

* * *

*Six months earlier*

Severus Snape was pacing in his office angrily. That imbecile Dumbledore was making him, _him_, be the one to escort the Granger know-it-all to visit her parents. Dumbledore claimed it was vital she see them, and that Severus was the only Order member available capable of protecting her from any Death Eaters she might stumble across.

Damn it, where was she? She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. Severus was not a man who liked to be kept waiting. He could continue marking the second year essays as he waited, but… those bloody second years were almost as moronic as Dumbledore.

Ah, finally. Severus could hear footsteps outside his office. That should be Granger. There were several loud raps on the door. Severus gathered his traveling cloak and opened the door, intending on leaving immediately. The shock of blonde hair took Severus by surprise.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" he asked curiously.

The boy paused. "I just wondered if you'd heard anything from my father. I haven't heard from him in over a week."

Well, if Lucius was on a mission for the Dark Lord then he wouldn't be able to contact his son. Draco should realize that. However, Severus didn't have the energy to be precious with the boy. "Perhaps he has better things to than babysit his seventeen year old son. Now, run along and play. I've got things to do."

Draco's upper lip curved. "Fine. Thank for nothing."

He turned to stalk away, and came face to face with Granger. He looked down at the small girl with disdain. "What are you doing here, Mudblood?"

The girl looked at Severus in indignation. He ignored her. There were worse things than being called Mudblood. He looked at Draco, and said, "Miss Granger is here for detention."

The incredulous look on the boy's face was almost comical. "What? The great Hermione Granger, know-it-all and teacher's pet, gets detention?"

Hermione seethed silently. One more jab and she'd curse the ferret.

Severus sighed. "Draco, go."

As Draco walked past Hermione he nudged her shoulder viciously, causing her to stumble backward. "Try to stay on your feet, Mudblood."

The girl pulled her wand out and aimed it at Draco. "Tarantellegra!"

She began laughing uncontrollably at the sight of Draco Malfoy doing a lively dance outside Snape's office in the dungeons. It really was a comical sight.

Sighing, Severus muttered the counter jinx. "Malfoy, leave. Now. Granger, let's go. You're wasting my time."

Without pausing to see if they were obeying his instructions, Severus stalked away, his cloak billowing behind him. Draco shot one last glare at Hermione, and left. Hermione followed Snape unenthusiastically.

* * *

Next chapter: Severus and Hermione visit Hermione's parents


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione was seething. First, that prat of a professor had ignored Malfoy calling her Mudblood. Then, he just leaves and _expects_ her to follow him, without even having the decency to tell her where they're going. Then when he decides she's not walking fast enough for his liking, he grips her arm and pulls her along behind him. Her arm was beginning to tingle. He was squeezing so tightly that she expected it only to be a matter of time before she lost feeling. All of a sudden, they reached the castle doors. He released her arm, and began waving his wand in intricate patterns to unlock the wards. The bolt snapped open, and he replaced his wand inside his robes. "Come, Miss Granger." He said tersely.

Grumbling to herself about his rudeness, Hermione followed. Couldn't he at least _pretend_ to be a human being?

As if hearing her thoughts, Snape turned to her and sneered. "I have no time for dallying, Miss Granger. We need to get there and get back. I have things that need attending to."

"I'm visiting my _parents_, whom I haven't seen in over a year! I know it might be hard for you to understand, seeing as you've never cared for anyone or anything in your pathetic, miserable little life, but I miss them, and I'm really looking forward to seeing them!" Hermione snapped.

Snape sneered. "You want to watch your tone, Granger, or it'll be detention for you. And don't think I'll assign you to Hagrid. You'll be cleaning up the messes my first years make, with _no magic_."

With that, the potions professor strode off ahead of Hermione. She hurried after him. It would not do to get lost or separated from her protection now, no. There was a reason he was the one escorting her; a reason she hadn't seen her parents in so long. Lord Voldemort had put a price on her head. For some unfathomable reason, he didn't want the brains of the trio around when it came down to preparing for the final battle. Hermione scoffed at the thought. Voldie was scared that an ickle Mudblood would help Harry so much that he would be defeated, so he wanted Hermione out of the way before it came to that. Any Order members would have given adequate protection, had it not been for the possibility of Death Eaters stationed on the road between Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Snape was the only one they wouldn't hesitate to attack. Of course, Hermione was aware that Voldemort had to know what was going on tonight. Snape would have to tell him – this was exactly the sort of information he was "spying" for. Voldemort couldn't be happy that Dumbledore had thwarted his plans to have Hermione taken care of during the walk to the public apparition point.

This meant she had to go with Snape, thus ruining the whole mood of the evening. Hermione breathed deeply as she felt her nerves threatening to break through her careful calm. Her parents. Her parents were the reason she was doing this, the reason she was giving up an evening of relaxing with Harry and Ron to travel with Professor Snape. Her parents.

Since the knowledge Lord Voldemort wanted her dead was known to the Order, Mr. and Mrs. Granger had been placed under protections and taken to a safe house. Dumbledore was afraid that Voldemort would find her parent and use them to lure her out. This had happened nearly six months after Hermione had last seen them, and another six months had passed since then. All in all, a year had passed since Hermione had seen her parents, and she missed them like crazy. Dumbledore had finally decided it was safe enough for her to visit, provided she was escorted by Snape. Hermione wasn't going to turn the opportunity down, even if it meant an evening with the dour professor.

"We're nearly there," Snape said flatly. "You can see the point from just around the next bend."

"Oh, thank goodness. I'm getting quite cold, aren't you?" Hermione replied, hoping for some pleasant conversation.

"No, I am not. You see, I have a brain, and said brain allows me to realize that I possess a wand and the ability to perform magic with it. When I become cold, I merely cast a warming charm on myself. It's first year magic, really."

Damn snarky bastard. He didn't need to be so nasty and unfeeling.

He had a point though. Hermione had a knack for forgetting there was something she could do about her predicaments. She blamed her Muggle upbringing. No warming charms there.

Quietly, so he didn't hear and mock her, she cast a warming charm on her robes. They warmed instantly, taking away her chill.

In all her seventeen years, Hermione had never met someone as unwanting of human interaction as Severus Snape. He never spoke to anyone unless he had a purpose, he never needed social contact, he never used or responded to humour. He wasn't like Harry or Ron.

Ron. Hermione wasn't sure what to think of their relationship. They'd been together for seven months now, and it seemed to be the thing everyone had been rooting for since they became friends. However, Hermione always felt there was something missing with him. Could she really be happy with someone who has so different to her? Ron was crude, noisy, didn't care about intellect or academics and was obsessed with Quidditch. This had only caused minor problems so far, but Hermione was sure she wanted to get too tied down to someone who had such different interests.

Still, she loved him. The problem was, she had difficulty discerning whether she loved him in a romantic way or in the same way she loved Harry – as a brother. She and Ron had never gotten past kissing and occasionally petting, because every time it seemed like they would go further she began feeling extremely guilty, as if this was wrong, taboo.

A gravelly voice broke into her thoughts. "We're here."

Hermione jumped, startled. She had been so lost in her own mind that she had almost forgotten she was not alone. Professor Snape was staring at her in a condescending manner, probably wondering if she were hiding insanity.

He held out his arm for her to take. She gripped it tightly, and instantly felt the familiar yet thoroughly unpleasant sensations of apparition.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three

"Lead the way, Miss Granger," Snape said as soon as they materialized onto a dark Muggle street.

Hermione looked around her, trying to make sense of their whereabouts. "Oh, right, of course! I was expecting us to come out over there. Now everything is backwards. This makes sense. My house is right around that next corner."

She strode forward immediately, and Snape hurried to stay with her. She'd better be quick about this visit, he thought. He didn't want to be here. There could be Death Eaters watching them right now. Snape was under the protection of the Dark Lord, for now, but there have always been and will always be rogue Death Eaters who remain unconvinced of his loyalties. These particular Death Eaters would not hesitate to attack if they believed they had the chance to get away with it without any witnesses.

This business with the Dark Lord was a bloody mess. Severus Snape, had he been mature enough to make decisions which would affect the rest of his life, would never have gotten himself caught up in the pureblood propaganda. Besides, he wasn't even a pureblood. He was merely a talented half-blood with an aptitude for potions who was neglected in his youth, causing him to become attached to the first person or group to show him kindness. After the business with Lily Evans, he didn't think it would ever happen again, since she was the only one ever to speak to him without teasing or belittling. However, when Lucius Malfoy was in his seventh year he took sixteen year old Severus under his wing and "befriended" him. It took Snape years to realize he was being groomed to become a servant of the Dark Lord – Malfoy didn't actually want to be his friend. At the time, Severus felt so indebted to his friend that when Malfoy extended an offer to become a Death Eater, he didn't want to hurt his feelings or be rude in refusing.

From the start, Severus was manipulated. Manipulated into serving the Dark Lord, manipulating into spying on the Dark Lord for Dumbledore, manipulated into spying on the Dark Lord for Dumbledore whilst pretending to spy on Dumbledore for the Dark Lord. It got to the point where Snape wasn't sure where his loyalties lay. He was the one person who could see the inner workings of both sides in the war, and from where he stood they both looked as bad as the other. At least you knew what to expect from the Dark Lord. Dumbledore wasn't averse to using and sacrificing people to his cause without telling them – he'd just withhold important information until the time came, ensuring that the person is unable to refuse him.

They continued walking, their eyes darting nervously around them as they did so, looking for signs of any unwelcome presence. Hermione finally paused and said, "We're here."

They were standing at a little gate which led up a path through a very ordinary looking garden, to a very ordinary looking house. Hermione found the familiar house comforting. She had been so glad when Dumbledore had told her that her parents were able to move back into the family home, providing it was protected with the Fidelius Charm. Hermione had been born in this house. It's rooms and yard were as familiar to her as her parents themselves.

Hermione stood staring at the house, so Snape took it on himself to open the gate and begin up the path to the house. Hermione followed him quickly. When they reached the door, she pushed past him and knocked loudly.

"Mum! Dad! I'm here!" she said loudly. The door flew open, and Jean Granger's anxious face peered out.

"Come inside, quickly, darling. Your father is waiting in the living room. Oh, hello, you must be Professor Snape? Dumbledore informed us you would be escorting Hermione," Jean said.

Snape nodded. "Severus Snape, Potions Professor at Hogwarts. Pleased to meet you."

Jean inclined her head. "Likewise, Mr. Snape."

Hermione couldn't stand just standing there anymore. She flung herself at her mother. With her arms wrapped around her mother's waist, smelling the familiar scent of her mother's favourite vanilla shampoo, seeing her beloved house behind her, Hermione felt like things would be okay for the first time in a long time.

Hermione was so overwhelmed with the feelings of being reunited with her mother that she never noticed the figure in the bushes to her left. Snape nearly missed it himself, and only happened to notice as he shook his head to prevent a bug landing on his nose.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" The figure cried, pointing its wand at the group still standing in the doorway. Simultaneously, Snape tried to push Hermione and Jean inside the house and the protection of the charm, but it was too late.

The curse hit Hermione, and she crumpled to the ground.


End file.
